Dusk
by Sarabeth Harris
Summary: Kayla is new to Forks. Merely after a week of living there alone, she realizes that the small town holds more secrets than she could have ever imagined. What happened to Bella Swan, the girl that the mysterious Edward Cullen silently mourns? Who are Stefan and Damon Salvatore, and why is Damon so interested in Bella's death? Are the rumors of bloodthirsty vampires true?
1. Introduction

**Disclaimer: This is a Vampire Diaries/Twilight crossover. This is a work in progress. I do not claim to own places/characters.**

Introduction

Going on a jog through unfamiliar streets is unnerving. I'm used to going on jogs all the time but it's different when you feel like everyone is watching you.

It was my first week in Forks, Washington. To be honest, it's really not the most interesting place to move to. It's too bleak for me, really. I feel like all I've looked at is a gray sky every single morning that refuses to budge. But after living in a rural, bipolar place like Utah, when I got the chance to finally start somewhere new doing what I loved, there was no way I was going to turn down an opportunity like that.

My mother was definitely upset that I was leaving so soon after graduating from my suburban high school. Being a single mom, I knew it was really hard for her to keep an eye on my rebellious fourteen-year-old brother when she was working full-time, especially since he was starting high school soon. I felt really bad for leaving, but after being cooped up for so long in the same place around the same people, I knew that I had to leave for my life to really start.

As I passed many people's heads swerved towards me, curious. I guess that's how it is when you live in a small town. Everyone knows each other so once they see someone different, they're completely foreign, like aliens. At least, I felt as if I were one. Being the new girls had turned out being really interesting for me and my best friend Heather. We just didn't know how much yet.

After straight sprinting for a few blocks I stopped to halt, leaning against a tree beside the pavement. After about a minute after catching my breath and letting my heart rate steadily slow down, I looked up. That's when I saw him.

He was sitting on a bench maybe thirty feet away, solitary. His face was completely expressionless, and was entirely colorless. He looked almost if he were made out of stone. I nearly wondered whether he was even real. But none of these other qualities stunned me as much as his beauty did. Copper colored hair, perfect figure that looked as if it were carved from marble, sculpted lips-he was gorgeous.

"Don't bother."

I jumped, startled, registering that someone was watching me with a yellow lab tied on a leash. She was tall and blonde, very unlike me. She had blue eyes the color of the sea, and her smile was radiant. I'd seen her walking her dog several times before when I had been out to jog. I was pretty sure that she lived i the same apartment complex as I did, and she'd always seemed really friendly in passing.

She smiled. "My name's Caroline," she said, sticking out her hand.

I took it, smiling slightly in return. "Kayla."

"I noticed you were staring at Edward Cullen over there," she said somewhat more quietly, gesturing to the man sitting on the bench. I swear I saw him tilt his ear slightly, as if trying to hear what Caroline was saying. "Don't bother trying to talk to him. He won't say a word to anybody."

"Why not?" I asked curiously, taking in his near perfect features.

"His girlfriend, Bella Swan, died last year. She had a really nasty accident. I guess he really loved her." Her face fell.

"What happened to her?"

"He won't say. Her dad Charlie said it was from head trauma and internal bleeding. Apparently she was on life support for a while, though. I guess Charlie had no choice but to let her go."

"That's sad."

"Like I said. Don't bother."

And as this topic of conversation came to a close, I swear I saw Edward's face twist in anguish.

Caroline Forbes and I became fast friends. I liked her bubbly, outgoing nature even if at times she seemed somewhat condescending, even shallow. Besides all that, Caroline took care in telling me everything she thought I needed to know about everyone she thought I should know more about.

The third day of knowing Caroline, my life changed forever.


	2. Chapter 1

1

Eating at the tiny, old deli in Forks wasn't exactly appealing to me, but when Caroline needed to tell me something, she wasn't kidding. I'd learned in just three days exactly how eccentric Caroline could be, and she always seemed to know the local gossip. After telling her that I wanted to learn more about Edward Cullen, she invited me to lunch, saying that she couldn't exactly tell me everything over the phone. I thought that there was going to be nothing different about that day, but found that I was completely wrong.

I sat waiting for Caroline to show up in sweats and a bright red hoodie, hair up and not an ounce of makeup on. It was one of those days where I really just didn't feel like doing anything, especially since I was already homesick. When Caroline called and found that I was feeling blue, she'd begged me to come and gossip with her to cheer me up. Though I knew talking about everything would do nothing to lift my spirits, I reluctantly agreed.

Suddenly, I felt as if someone were watching me. It was unsettling and I turned slightly to look around in the dim deli but found that no one was behind me watching. Caroline walked into the deli, chin held high and sporting shocking red pumps, completely typical of Caroline. She scrutinized me as she slid into the cheap plastic booth across from me, judging my sweats and hair critically.

"I'm not feeling well," I explained quickly.

She shook it off. "You said you wanted to know more about Edward, right? Why does he interest you so much?"

I shrugged. "I don't really know much about anyone; I need to start actually talking to people, Caroline."

She sighed with exasperation. "I told you, he's a lost cause, Kayla. He won't talk to _anyone_. His family all left to Alaska except for his sister Alice and her husband. Apparently he just didn't wanna leave. I guess that's what happens when you love someone." Caroline gave a big sigh of longing.

"Didn't you say someone attacked her?" I pressed, wanting to know more.

"Yeah, some crazy guy killed her at a ballet studio." She leaned forward, dropping her voice into a whisper. "Rumor says that it was a _vampire_."

I laughed. "Vampires? Really, Caroline?"

"Hey, I'm just repeating what I've heard." She giggled.

As she went on talking about the family history of the Cullens and why they had left, I found myself staring at someone who had taken a seat in the booth behind Caroline. He was looking at his menu and not seeming to really be reading it; his eyes were glued in a specific spot. This man somewhat reminded me of Edward only older and seemingly dangerous. His hair was a very light brown, almost a dark blonde, and spiked in the front. He had dark, brooding eyes that smoldered as he gazed down at his menu. Under his faultless lips was an incredibly strong jaw. He almost looked chiseled, as if sculptured by Michelangelo himself.

"Kayla? Are you even listening to me?"

Caroline caught me daydreaming and looked over her shoulder at the man I'd been ogling at.

She gave a quiet laugh and turned back to me, as if humored by my behavior. "That's Stefan Salvatore," she said in a hushed whisper. "He's been living in Forks for years. Isn't he gorgeous?"

I found myself slack-jawed and then recovered myself as quickly as I could. "Yeah, he's gorgeous all right."

At these words, Stefan looked up from his menu and straight into my eyes, his face serious and his eyes ominous. I caught my breath, almost unable to look away. I had to wrench my gaze from his after I realized that I had been holding my breath longer than my body allowed. Caroline gave me a strange look.

"What was _that_ about?" her eyes showed she thought I was almost crazy.

"Nothing," I muttered, looking down at my empty glass. "I'll tell you later."

After lunch, Caroline begged me to go to the salon to get my nails done with her, but after not feeling well in the first place, there was no way I was going to sit in a salon while Caroline chattered away. Sulking, she said goodbye and disappeared into her car.

I walked home. It wasn't really far and I was into walking and running, especially in a new town that I still hadn't become completely familiar with. I was about to turn the corner when I noticed Stefan Salvatore standing on the pavement a few yards away, his hands in his pockets as he watched traffic go by. Immediately intimidated, I made to pass him quickly so there wouldn't be a chance of us speaking.

I was definitely wrong in thinking I could sneak past him. Without even looking at me and right as I breathed a sigh of relief after passing, he spoke.

"Hey. You're the new girl, right?"

I reluctantly turned, holding my breath. This guy was actually talking to me, and I knew nothing about Forks or anyone in it except for a guy who was crazy after his girlfriend died. I wasn't exactly the most interesting person. What were we even supposed to talk about?

"Yeah," I said finally. "My name's Kayla."

"Stefan." He held out his hand. I took it after a paused, surprised by the gesture. I felt something I couldn't explain, almost as if his hand felt right.

"I just felt like I should introduce myself," he explained. "Being here only a week you probably haven't met many people."

I felt my cheeks flame. "Yeah, I guess not."

"I see you've met Caroline, though."

I lifted my chin. "What about it?"

He smiled, making me feel as though my insides were melting under his irresistible smile. "Nothing, it's just Caroline is one of the most talkative people I know."

I allowed myself to laugh nervously, but my voice sounded unnatural and high.

"Hey, I know this is a little random," he started slowly, worrying that he was going to start asking me questions, "but have you heard the rumor of Forks being full of vampires?"

I looked at him suspiciously, taken aback. "Well Caroline told me there was a rumor that Bella Swann was killed by a vampire, but not that Forks is…_full _of them."

He laughed, but for some reason it seemed off.

"Well, it's just a rumor," he said, smiling at me, his eyes smoldering. "What really happened to Bella had nothing to do with vampires. It was just an accident." His gaze pierced me as he said these last few words and I found myself strangely and suddenly completely unconcerned and bored. I felt the urge to keep walking and get home.

"Well it was nice meeting you," I said with a smile, feeling somewhat confused about why I was unfazed by what Stefan had said. "I'll see you around."

And before I knew it, I was home, with not even a memory of the first conversation I had with Stefan Salvatore from that point on.


End file.
